Book Description
The ultimate reference for comic artists, this unique book/CD set is packed with photos of men and women in basic and dramatic superhero poses uniquely tailored to the comic artist's needs. Comic Artist's Photo Reference:
-Delivers over 500 color images of beautiful women and muscled men in the poses comic artists need
-Features six step-by-step demonstrations by well-known artists, so readers can learn firsthand from the pros
-Comes with a CD-ROM of over 500 additional photos for added inspiration
With this reference, comic artists of all skill levels can draw from a diverse group of models in a hundreds of poses--any time they want!
Customer Reviews:
Very good for basic references.......2007-09-19
Really good if you are looking for fight scenes and positions to draw. Overall, its a good resource. The lighting is very good, and sometimes leans a little toward the dramatic side. If you use this along with, for example, a reference book on facial expressions, there are a lot of different images that you can create from these reference points. The disc is wonderful, especially since I do most of my work digitally and therefore like to work with my reference images in the computer.
Invaluable resource for any artist.......2007-09-16
The first time I saw this on the shelve in my local bookstore I just skimmed over the pages and thought nothing much of it. I recently decided to put together a game prototype that will feature many characters in dynamic poses in many situations. Problem was I had no real reference other than the internet, and after becoming increasingly frustrated with lack of good quality reference I remembered this book. Frantically trying to recall the name from months back, I was more than happy to purchase a copy, and I'm grateful I did. It's an immense resource that every artist should have as part as their library. Having models in many different situations and poses is a huge help when it comes to consistency amongst many other things.
I highly recommend this book.
Great for preteen and teens artists, not just professionals!.......2007-08-17
I teach junior high students. This book would be perfect for all the kids in my school who love to draw. The poses show models doing things you would see in comics (flying, running, fighting, swords, capes, etc.). The models wear formfitting clothes but they are all clothed enough to be "decent." There is a page of photos showing a woman smoking, but since this is something a comic artist might need to draw, I don't see it as a problem. (Hopefully someday all kids will NEED a photo to know what smoking looks like!) There are several excellent step-by-step art lessons that teach real art concepts and could be used in the classroom. There's also a CD packaged with the book that has many more pictures on it. Students would enjoy browsing the CD or using Photoshop to combine multiple photos into something new that they could then draw from. Five stars and a recommendation to my school's librarian!
Best photo reference for comic artists!.......2007-08-16
This is fantastic photo reference for the comic artist (me)! These are nice sharp color photos. I don't agree that the shorter female model isn't good (she's not 40, she's 34!). She's got great fighting poses and expressions. I can take the shadows and apply them to taller characters as needed.
The male models are clearly bodybuilders. Their fighting pics are great. The women aren't super-muscular, but they are attractive and they have great poses and expressions.
The CD is excellent too. More photos beyond what is in the book, and a lot of cool/funny extra pictures, movies, etc.
Poses include: facial expressions, standing, sitting, lifting, cape, street clothes, swords, guns, fighting, wounded, scared, flying. Also romance, fighting, smoking, drinking, loading gun.
If I had to name things I wish were different... The capes are good, and I really like the shots of the models in regular clothes, but there could be more costumes. Still, for the excellent Amazon price, and so many photos plus poses that are tailor made for comics--I am a very happy customer.
Great character expressions.......2007-08-03
This book has many over a thousand photo's with great comic book perspectives, male and female.
Some of the lighting could have been better and the female models should have been more athletic and shapley.
Average customer rating:
- Another useful book
- light and dark
- good book, decent series, outrageous price...
- Not the last, mind you...
- It's Pose File 1... And then some...
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Pose File 7: Light & Shade (Pose File, Vol 7)
Elte Shuppan
Manufacturer: Books Nippan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Illustration
| Commercial
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Arts
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Cartooning
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
Satire, General
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 4871990435 |
Customer Reviews:
Another useful book.......2004-06-18
This book has one unusual strength: most poses are shown from many angles, up to about two dozen in some cases. This gives extra insight into unusual foreshortening and into how the figure articulates.
The weakness of this book is that, in order to show so many different views on a page, each figure photo is relatively small. This is especially disappointing because the models are all Japanese, where most pose books show only European features and figures. This book never meant to document details of faces, though, so I really can't complain,
light and dark.......2000-03-14
From moderate shadow to deep chiascuro effects this is a beautiful addition to the Pose File series. The other books excellently describe the figure, in proportion, motion and moving through space, but mostly in an even tonal scale. This volume emphasizes the extremes of that scale, making it a necessary addition to the set.
good book, decent series, outrageous price..........1999-10-12
I'm trying to learn how to draw, and the books in this and similar series would be really helpful--if I could afford any of them. I found this book in a store where I live and decided to buy it until I checked the price tag that the store had stuck onto it. because I lived in Japan for a while, I'm used to the printed price that appears on all books, so I had just looked there. I have decided to wait until Christmas when I can buy it myself for a decent price. Blah.
Not the last, mind you..........1999-02-26
--Please read my,(Cobalt) previous reviews of the earlier volumes--
-- I am surprised to see that there is no listing of Pose file 8 (Overhead/Underfoot) or Pose File 9 (Group poses), and I would like to take a moment to say that they are both great and you should do your best to find them somewhere... -- Volume seven is one of my favorites, the theme here is lighting, and the lit models look great and show much detail. The poses themselves are a plethora of themes from the previous series, with the added element of a single light source, making some of the models even look sinister, (fantasy artists should have fun with that). Definitely one of the better volumes.
Cobalt
It's Pose File 1... And then some..........1999-02-26
---Please read my,(Cobalt) review of volume one---
--Pose File 2 is basically a sequel to Pose file one. I have noticed that the poses are not only different, but also just a little more dynamic.--Unlike the later series, there appears to be no major theme, (I still can't read that Kanji) but it is a thorough book nonetheless.--I recommend that you get the later "themed" series, and then get 2 to complete your collection. --Definitely useful, but don't rush this one...
Cobalt
Book Description
Both professional and student illustrators of action and fantasy art can take the guesswork out of rendering extreme anatomy and dynamic action poses with help from this valuable reference source. It presents more than 600 detailed color photos of live models, and represents a wide range of physiques, postures, and poses that can be incorporated in fantasy scenarios. The book's accompanying CD-ROM contains all of the book's posed images, allowing illustrators to swipe them directly and paste them into their own computer art projects. The book also instructs on rendering realistic effects to the illustrated textures of flesh, hair, clothing, and metal objects, as well as advice on adding highlights, backlights, and shadows. Here is a valuable reference source that belongs in every illustrator's personal library. All images are copyright free.
Customer Reviews:
Great for figure reference .......2007-09-11
I really enjoyed this book. I actually downloaded the images onto my computer and use them as poses to draw from in the slide show format. Coupled with "The Natural Way to draw" this book really helps me out and gives me a "safe" place to learn away from the limelight, which is important to me.
This images are good and very well done and give you some really good costume studies (as well as drapery studies) on top of basic anatomy and muscle drawing.
Overall, a very good piece of work.
my review.......2007-07-04
This book is a welcome addition to any cartoonist or illustrator's photo reference file as it includes physical and ethnical types different from the usual stereotypical idealized caucasians. On the other hand, it isn't as systematic, varied or consistent in its poses and points-of-view as the Illustrator's Reference Manuals or the Posefile series of books.
Cliche Central.......2007-01-23
The 'Fantasy' of the title is, unfortunately, the heavily-stereotyped 'thud and blunder' style fantasy of Conan the Barbarian, Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser and other such hackneyed, outdated types.
The figures shown are Barbarian warrior, Warrior woman, Evil Sorceress, Fairy, etc. And they are all quite absurd.
The book also includes little tidbits of information about costume and weapons, like this pearl of wisdom: "The nock is the part of the bow that the arrow rests on." Uh, yeah?
Combine this with poses titled "Bring forth tidings", "Arise, my liege" and the like, you soon realise this isn't a particularly well-done piece of work.
As for the CD, the images are huge - making them very difficult to work with.
This book isn't completely useless, but there are surely better things to spend your money on.
Great for beginner fantasy artists!!.......2007-01-09
If you are new to the fantasy art genre or are looking for a great quick reference for figure drawing, this is the book. It gives a diverse selection of different body types, sizes and looks, as well as a good smattering of accesories, close-ups and clothing...
Not extreme or dynamic, but still has some good parts.......2007-01-03
Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations. Overall, it was uninspiring to me, especially in creating my own characters. As a reference photo book, it fails because the poses are not extreme and dynamic as promised. It also seems to try to reach beyond its scope with a section on painting and many comments on characters beyond anatomy and costume.
Pros:
- "Anatomical studies" show each character type in only shorts (or shorts and sports bra for women) so you know what the body looks like in some poses.
- Summary of character wardrobe
- Poses of characters in wardrobe may help in drawing clothing -- depicting folds, how certain material hangs, etc.
- As another review mentioned, an overweight man ("cleric" and "norseman" types) and a small person ("warrior dwarf" type) are shown here, and both are helpful.
- Captions in the book often direct you to details (how material is bunching up a certain way, how a shoulder strap hangs off the body in a certain pose) or notes about anatomy ("legs need to be placed apart because they will have to bend to compensate for the weight of the ax")
- Section of close-up facial expressions (male and female)
- Although brief, there are also some photos of hand detail, including props like rings & bracelets, and accessory details -- boots, belts, jewelry
- Spiral binding allows the book to lay flat (although when you're drawing, you'll probably print images from the CD instead)
Cons:
- Uninteresting poses. This is the sale-killer for me. Although the book says the photos depict "extreme anatomy and dynamic action poses" I found the poses to be too plain. There was no "extreme" posing where the body is in extreme angles -- lunging, jumping, twisting. Instead, someone is standing still with their arms raised and feet spread, but there is no action happening. You can tell because there is a lack of tense muscles.
- The back of the book has a section on painting characters that seems out of place. This is a photo reference book, not a painting book. Unless you already know about painting with acrylics, this section is useless.
- Some captions have irrelevant comments. In a caption of a photo showing a happy "warrior prince" face, it notes, "All characters should be able to feel elation and happiness."
Summary: although a few poses are good, don't expect most of them to be "extreme" or "dynamic." Note that this is not an instruction book on learning anatomy, and you should have at least a basic understanding of human anatomy to use this book well.
Books that I would recommend for beginning artists:
- Human Anatomy Made Amazingly Easy by Christopher Hart
- Drawing the Living Figure by Joseph Sheppard
- Dynamic Figure Drawing by Burne Hogarth (great for flow of action)
- Perspective! For Comic Book Artists by David Chelsea
- Dynamic Wrinkles and Drapery: Solutions for Drawing the Clothed Figure by Burne Hogarth
- Action Anatomy: For Gamers, Animators, and Digital Artists by Takashi Iijima
Average customer rating:
- Extremely excellent, multi-angled- pose file 8...
- A MUST have for any artists reference resource collection!
- OVERALL....ALMOST PERFECT
- wild stuff
- Don't Have a Live Model?
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Pose File 8: Above & Below (Pose File, Vol 8)
Books Nippan , and
Elte Shuppan
Manufacturer: Books Nippan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Figure Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Arts
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 4871990478 |
Customer Reviews:
Extremely excellent, multi-angled- pose file 8..........2006-06-22
...one of my favorites in the series, right along with pose files 6 and even 5...
This is tied with Pose File 6 for being my absolute favorite in the series. This is a great photo-reference series that unfortunately has a hard time staying in print. If you can find any copies, I mainly recommend these 3 volumes I mention, but Pose File 8: Above & Below may actually be the best one. Certainly it has some of the best and most creative poses and angles in the series, and production value is top-notch; the only drawback here is that all models are female, if that's even *actually* a drawback. It's Pose File 6 that includes some decent male reference. Pose File 5 isn't as great as either of these in regards to overall production quality, but it has a *great* section on close-ups of hands to make it unique. In any case, these asian female models are beautiful and great to draw from. This is a *tremendous* help in figure drawing(!). But along with high production value comes high cost, and these things weren't the most inexpensive books to begin with, let alone *now* that they're hard to find and out of print. These paperback volumes are 8-1/4" x 11-5/8", and are all at around 160 pages last time I checked.
It's *highly recommended*- if you can find a decent price!
A MUST have for any artists reference resource collection!.......2001-03-08
When I first got this book back in 96' I wasn't really sure what I was ordering. But once I got it, I was astounded by how great the pictures were, it's one of my valued resources! There are few books out there that cover as many everyday poses from different angels with different types of lighting...
A Definate must have, you won't regret the investment!
OVERALL....ALMOST PERFECT.......2000-11-22
Yes it is the next best thing to live models but in general the quality of the pictures varies a bit. That is not to say having the poses isnt wonderful but the lighting varies a bit...if you rely solely on the photos and the lighting is poor it becomes difficult. I really think that the whole "pose file " series are books that you need to look through before buying...I think you need to go to a book store and thumb thru each "pose file" book to determine if you have the right version...some books are more lighted some are closer up...some are sitting...some more standing. I think these are expensive and need to be viewed and assessed before deciding about a purchase...although returns are easy at amazon.com :O)
wild stuff.......2000-03-14
The theme for this volume is "above and below." The result is a series of fantastic poses shot with mostly with wide angle lenses. An old professor of mine encouraged us to exaggerate the form as necessary to compel a composition. This volume demonstrates how distortion and exaggeration work on a page - these are views that the eye is not able to create on its own. I highly recommend this volume for serious artists or illustrators who already have a good sense of basic proportion and form and are looking to extend their knowledge of the human figure.
Don't Have a Live Model?.......1999-12-10
This book is great, who thought anyone could fit so many fresh poses pictured so clearly, all within one cover! I have this book already. I'm buying this one for a friend, because if you like to draw figures and can't get a hold of a live model this book is the next best thing.
Average customer rating:
- Save your money and buy these books
- Great for movement drawing
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Pose File 4: Dance Action (Pose File, Vol 4)
Elte Shuppan , and
Elte Shappan Editorial
Manufacturer: Books Nippan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Dance
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Theater
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Arts
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Pose File 7: Light & Shade (Pose File, Vol 7)
ASIN: 4871990346 |
Customer Reviews:
Save your money and buy these books.......2000-02-10
Upon collecting the nine pose files in this set, I've learned that there are another five, soon to be six, volumes available. As soon as these are offered I'll collect them as well. The occasional annoyances in these volumes (some bad cropping, some crammed pose positioning on the page, a dirth of meaningful male poses, some body areas "painted over," poor binding causing pages to loosen) are far out weighed by the marvelous nature of the poses themselves. They contain motion and stretch related poses that no model could sustain for more time than necessary to capture gestures, as well as wide angle distortion in some volumes that the eye would not naturally form. These are invaluable resources in regard to the luxury of time allowed to study the human form (in two dimensions). Volume Four was the first Pose File I found and I do not regret the investment I've made in the set since - they've paid for themselves compared to the cost of models or access to models.
Great for movement drawing.......1999-05-18
Wonderful book. On almost every page, I find at least three or four poses worthy of drawing.
This volume focuses on what seem to be dance-like movments, mostly done a level perspective.
I do have one complaint, which is the print quality of the pictures is a little grainy. This is of course due to the film speed required to capture clear movements, but the processing probably could have been done a little better.
However, the graininess of the images does not detract from usability of this book. Excellent variety with capable models expressing a wide range of body language. Overall, an excellent reference.
Average customer rating:
- Extremely excellent, multi-angled- pose file 6...
- weakest link
- A welcome addition to my library
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Pose File 6: Male & Female Nude (Pose File, Vol 6)
Books Nippan , and
Elte Shuppan
Manufacturer: Books Nippan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Figure Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Arts
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 4871990419 |
Customer Reviews:
Extremely excellent, multi-angled- pose file 6..........2006-06-21
...one of my favorites in the series, right along with pose files 8 and even 5...
This is tied with Pose File 8 for being my absolute favorite in the series. This series has 9 volumes, last time I checked, and is filled with fantastic photo reference! Each volume features beautiful female models in various poses seen from many different angles. The photos are in black & white, and all models are asian & female, with the exception of this volume, which actually includes males as well. The male models wear speedo-type bathing suits; the females are completely nude. This is one of the *BEST* volumes in the series regarding actual photo quality- extremely high production value(!)- whereas some other volumes were a bit grainy looking & even poorly cropped at times. Easily one of my favorite-ever photo references(!). Even though these poses aren't the most interesting in the series, the inclusion of males here makes this one of the best. Pose selection aside, we still get all the essential reference for drawing figures from *every* conceivable angle: standing, squatting, kneeling, sitting, reclining, and even on all 4's. And some of the poses *are* pretty creative(!).
At 8-1/4" x 11-5/8", and about 160 pages, it's one of the best & most convenient-sized paperback references I've seen. Amazingly, at this time, this series is hard to find & keep in print. If you're able to get a copy, and at a decent price, it's *easily* worth getting- exceedingly great with learning to draw figures from memory. My highest recommendation!
weakest link.......2000-03-11
Of the series of Pose Files this volume is the weakest. That is unless the artist is looking for static and mime poses with the series' least physically interesting models. This is the only pose file in the first nine volumes to include male models in largely disappointing para-martial poses. A model from Pose File 4 figures in several sitting poses using a white box. These constitute the most useful elements of the volume. Pose Files 2 & 3 offer more artistically interesting static poses.
A welcome addition to my library.......1999-12-25
Pose File 6 is one of the jewels of my art reference collection. Thumbing through it, I get an idea for a new drawing on each page! The male model's poses are especially useful. Anyone with an interest in action illustration would do well to purchase this book.
Average customer rating:
- Names can be decieving...
|
Pose File 5: Sports Action (Pose File, Vol 5)
Elte Shuppan
Manufacturer: Books Nippan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Figure Drawing
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Arts
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 4871990370 |
Customer Reviews:
Names can be decieving..........1999-02-26
--Please read my,(Cobalt) previous reviews of the earlier volumes--
-- I know that the theme of volume 5 is "sports action", but I think that American readers should know that there is nothing akin to basketball or football in this book,(not that it's a bad idea *hint*). -- Perhaps the translators should have replaced "sports" with "props", which is basically what you will find here. -- In volume 5, the models interact with boxes, balls, ropes, and the like... You will find many interesting new poses based on these new additions and the book is quite good.
Just don't expect to illustrate the big game...
Cobalt
Average customer rating:
|
Pose File CD-ROM Edition #2
Manufacturer: Antarctic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Reference
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Drawing
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Novels
| Comics & Graphic Novels
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
General
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1932453482 |
Product Description
CD-ROM included.
Average customer rating:
|
Pose File 5
Manufacturer: Books Nippan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 9990092206 |
Customer Reviews:
Good Poses for models or instructor to consider but..........2000-05-31
Not good for the art student. Photos are small and as in this entire series some areas are blurred or photographic "touched-up" to conceal the true anatomy. So buyer beware! However, if you model or are an instructor or monitor and need a great resource for poses to consider, then this is a Five Star book.
space and tension.......2000-03-11
This is an interesting piece to the Pose File series in that the poses include two women in the standard stand/sit/lay format. The most provocative element of this theme is the creation of interesting spacial zones caused by the connection/interaction of the models. There are many poses that also describe physical tensions caused by force (pushing and pulling) exerted on the form that a solo model would not be able to replicate.
Okay, but not quite what I was expecting........2000-02-26
As an artist looking for photo reference material for use in illustration, I was at first excited to come upon the "Pose File" books. I chose the "Pose File #9 - Duets" book, because I was looking for poses that reflected the everyday interaction between men and women. Unfortunately, what I got was hundreds of poses of two nude Japanese girls. Not that there is anything wrong with the material. The nudes are well done and whether or not they would be considered sexually provocative depends on your point of view. I didn't find them to be so, but all female poses was not what I was looking for and the term "Duets" leads one to assume that you are getting both sexes. So I just wanted to add this little warning to the propective buyer - If you are looking for photo reference material on both men and women, this is NOT the book for you. I suspect that this is also the case with the other books in these series, but I have no proof of that, so - buyer beware!
Books:
- Counterinsurgency Warfare: Theory and Practice (PSI Classics of the Counterinsurgency Era)
- Creating Young Writers: Using the Six Traits to Enrich Writing Process in Primary Classrooms
- Death Masks (The Dresden Files, Book 5)
- Design of Wood Structures-ASD/LRFD
- Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss what Matters Most
- Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd Edition
- Double Vision: A Novel
- Draw Write Now, Book 1-8 (Draw Write Now)
- Emphasis Art: A Qualitative Art Program for Elementary and Middle Schools (8th Edition)
- Evil And the Justice of God
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